On May 22, 2025, the White House published a new report that states what are the causes of chronic diseases in children.
The report deepens many of the issues that have emerged as priorities for the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, or “let’s make the United States healthy again” (Maha), promoted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. An important area of care is the negative effects of ultra -processed foods in health.
The report indicates the prevalence of ultraprocessed foods in the American diet as a key factor in chronic children’s diseases and cites research that reveals that almost 70% of children’s diets and 50% of the diets of pregnant women and in the postpartum period in the United States consist of ultra -processed foods.
What are ultraprocessed foods?
The concern that the ingredients used by food manufacturers could contribute to chronic diseases emerged for the first time in the 1970s and 1980s, when investigations began to link the consumption of processed foods with the increase in obesity rates, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
The term “ultra -processed food” dates back to the 1980s and was used to describe precooked foods and refreshments with high levels of additives and low nutritional value.
As research on the effects of ultraprocessed foods intensified in health, public health experts and the food industry have discussed the meaning of the term.
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More and more researchers choose to define ultraprocessed foods based on a framework called Nova Food Classification System, created in 2009 by nutrition researchers in Brazil. This framework classifies food into one of four groups according to their level of processing:
- Group 1 – Foods not processed or minimally processed: Includes fruits, vegetables and raw meats that can be cleaned, frozen or fermented but remain close to their natural state.
- Group 2 – processed culinary ingredients: Salt, sugar, oils and other ingredients extracted from nature and used to cook and flavor food.
- Group 3 – Processed Foods: Foods in this category are made by adding ingredients such as salt or sugar to the food of Group 1, for example, canned vegetables or cheese.
- Group 4 – Ultra -processed foods: It is, mainly, foods containing ingredients that are not in a typical kitchen, such as hydrogenated oils, modified starches, flavor enhancers, dyes and preservatives. Some examples are french fries, soft drinks, chocolate bars and many frozen foods, designed to be hyperpallatable and, often, poor in nutrients.
What does research on ultraprocessed food say?
There are more and more research that links ultraprocessed foods with numerous negative health effects, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and cognitive deterioration. A problem is that these products usually have a high added sugar content, sodium, saturated fats and chemical additives, and a low fiber content, essential vitamins and micronutrients.
But some studies also suggest that what makes these foods harmful are not only ingredients, but also their elaboration.
This is because the industrial processing of fats and starches can produce harmful compounds. For example, a substance called acroleine, which is formed by heating oils at high temperatures, has been related to DNA damage}.
Several studies are also discovering that packaging and plastic microparticles, currently present in air, water and food, can alter intestinal microbiome, a key factor for immune and metabolic health.
A disadvantage of nutritional studies is that they are often based on self -demonstrated dietary data, which can be inaccurate.
In addition, they can contain confusion factors difficult to explain, such as lifestyle patterns. However, the consistency of the findings in various populations support the growing concern for ultraprocessed foods.
However, an important warning is that not all ultraprocessed foods are the same. Its level of nutrition varies, and some are important for vulnerable populations.
For example, foods containing Sucromalt, a slow -release carbohydrate sweetener, help people with diabetes prevent blood sugar peaks, and hypoallergenic children’s formula can save the life of babies who cannot digest milk at an early age.
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How does the Maha report adjust to current dietary guidelines?
The report reflects key issues of food guides for Americans 2020-2025, a document jointly published by the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services every five years. Both Maha’s report and federal guidelines encourage the consumption of nutrient -rich foods.
A fundamental difference between them is that dietary guidelines 2020-2025 do not mention ultraprocessed foods. Some public health experts have pointed out that this omission could reflect the influence of the food industry.
What happens later?
Robert F. Kennedy, EU Secretary of Health, has declared that in mid -August 2025 a follow -up report will be published that describes a strategy and possible political reforms to address children’s chronic diseases.
However, it is unlikely that the change will be simple. Ultraprocessed foods represent an important industry, and the policies that challenge their prominence could find resistance by influential commercial interests.
For decades, agricultural subsidies, food policy and American consumers have supported massive production and consumption of ultraprocessed foods. Reversing its excessive consumption will require structural changes in the way in which foods in the United States are produced, distributed and consumed.
This article was originally published in The Conversation
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